Crisp puff pastry layered with creamy vanilla pudding, whipped topping, and fresh strawberries — this Strawberry Napoleon is a light, elegant dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Strawberry Napoleons are both refreshing and indulgent. The flaky pastry contrasts perfectly with the smooth cream and juicy berries. They look fancy but come together with simple ingredients, making them a great choice for dinner parties, holidays, or a weekend treat.

Strawberry Napoleons Dessert

The Napoleon, or mille-feuille, is a classic French pastry made of layered puff pastry and cream. While traditional versions often feature pastry cream and fondant icing, this simplified Strawberry Napoleon makes the process much more approachable for home cooks.

By using frozen puff pastry, we save hours of labor without sacrificing that flaky, buttery texture. The pastry bakes into golden layers that are sturdy enough to hold the cream but tender enough to shatter with each bite.

The filling here is made with instant vanilla pudding combined with cold milk and whipped topping. This creates a cream that is silky, lightly sweet, and holds up well between pastry layers.

Fresh strawberries bring brightness and a burst of flavor, balancing the richness of the pastry and cream. Their natural juiciness makes each bite refreshing and not overly heavy.

Assembling the Napoleons is straightforward but produces a dessert that looks like it came straight from a bakery. Each piece is stacked with pastry, cream, strawberries, more cream, and finally a crisp top layer dusted with powdered sugar.

The contrast in textures is what makes this dessert shine: flaky pastry, creamy filling, and juicy berries.

This recipe is also versatile. You can swap strawberries for raspberries, blueberries, or even peaches depending on the season.

One of the joys of making Napoleons at home is the ability to control the sweetness. By using just enough confectioners’ sugar on top, you keep the flavors balanced rather than cloying.

This dessert is best assembled shortly before serving to keep the pastry crisp. However, the components can be prepared ahead, making it easy to put together at the last minute.

It’s a wonderful choice for spring and summer entertaining, but it’s also elegant enough to serve at a holiday dinner.

Guests will be impressed by the presentation, yet you’ll know how simple it was to create.

Leftovers don’t hold long since the pastry softens with time, but that’s rarely a problem — they disappear quickly.

It’s also a fun recipe for beginner bakers to practice with puff pastry, building confidence in creating a dessert that looks elaborate but isn’t difficult.

At the table, these Napoleons invite conversation. They’re the kind of dessert that feels special, a little fancy, and very memorable.

Servings

Makes 8 Napoleons

Time

• Prep Time: 20 minutes

• Cook Time: 15 minutes

• Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ package frozen puff pastry (about 8 sheets), thawed

• 1 (3.5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix

• 1 cup cold 2% milk

• 1 ½ cups whipped topping, thawed

• 1 pint fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). On a lightly floured surface, unfold puff pastry and cut into 12 equal rectangles. Place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.

2. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool completely.

3. In a bowl, whisk pudding mix with cold milk until thickened. Fold in whipped topping. Chill until ready to use.

4. Split each pastry into two layers. Reserve the best-looking tops.

5. Spread pudding mixture onto 8 bottom layers, add sliced strawberries, then top with more pudding and another pastry layer.

6. Add another layer of cream and strawberries, then finish with a reserved top layer.

7. Dust generously with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Tips

• Keep Pastry Crisp: Assemble just before serving to avoid soggy pastry.

• Fruit Options: Substitute raspberries, blueberries, or peaches for a seasonal twist.

• Make Ahead: Bake pastry and prepare cream up to 1 day in advance; store separately until assembly.

• Extra Flair: Drizzle with melted chocolate for added elegance.